Farmers Market Hopeful for New Location

By

Sara Brumfield - Athens Messenger staff reporter

Dateline

Athens, OH

Updated Sat, Mar 8, 2014 6:28 am

Photo Credit:

Messenger photo by John Halley

Texas Roadhouse is seen towering over the Athens Farmers Market at The Market on State last weekend. The market will remain in its current location through the end of the month. One board member said there have been positive developments regarding a new temporary location.

The Athens Farmers Market has secured its current location at The Market on State through the end of March and prospects are looking positive for a new temporary location.

The popular market has been looking for a new location since it was announced that a Texas Roadhouse was being built in the parking lot of the mall, where the market was located on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The restaurant is expected to open at the end of the month.
On Friday, Athens Farmers Market board member Maureen Burns-Hooker said that the market has secured its current location through the end of March.

“The good news is we have had new developments in securing a temporary location,” Burns-Hooker wrote in an email to The Messenger. “We are bringing this new information to our membership at this month’s meeting and will have an announcement right after that.”
Burns-Hooker didn’t elaborate on where the new temporary location might be.

“Remember that we are a membership run organization so we have to wait to hear from everyone about any changes,” she wrote.

The farmers market board is working with the city of Athens and Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) to identify potential locations and funding to secure a location.

Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said he submitted a request for the state’s capital budget to help find a location for the market.
The location of the outdoor market was shifted further east in the parking lot once construction for Texas Roadhouse began. On Thursday, Athens Farmers Market Board President Larry Cowdery said that the current location is working well for the market’s needs. He said that the market is small right now in comparison to the summer months when produce is ripe for the picking.

“Everything changes day to day,” Cowdery said on Thursday regarding the market’s future location.